How to Block RFID From Reading Your Credit Card

by Chris Hoffman, Demand Media

Wave the card in front of a reader to make payments.

Thomas Cooper/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Many credit cards include RFID chips. The chips use radio-frequency identification to transmit payment information over short distances. Credit card companies use RFID to enable “contactless-payments” features such as VISA PayWave and MasterCard PayPass. While contactless payments require the credit card to be within several inches from the RFID reader, cards can often be read from within several feet. Thieves could use RFID readers to acquire credit card information from people’s pockets by walking through a crowd. You can block RFID readers by shielding the credit card with a conductive material, such as aluminum foil.

Step 1

Wrap your credit card in aluminum foil. The aluminum foil shields the credit card from RFID signals. You can also place the credit card in a container made from a conducting metal.

Step 2

Purchase an RFID-blocking wallet. Many companies sell shielded wallets, which are lined with aluminum or another conducting metal. The metal shields your credit card from RFID readers when your wallet is closed.

Hold the credit card in your fist. The RFID signals can’t travel through the saltwater in your body. You can also immerse the credit card in saltwater to prevent RFID readers from reading it. Of course, this is less practical.

Step 4

Contact your credit card company and ask for a credit card without RFID if you never want to use contactless payments. If your credit card company won’t give you a card without an RFID chip, you can permanently disable the RFID chip on your credit card by smashing the chip with a hammer. You won’t be able to use contactless payments without getting a new credit card.

Tip

If you have multiple credit cards with RFID chips, you can stack them on top of each other in your wallet. Multiple RFID chips close together can confuse RFID readers.

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